Celebrating 100 Weeks of Tablescapes!

I love summer birthdays! My favorite way to entertain friends on their special day is with an invitation to a day of floating in the pool and a “girl” lunch….nothing but relaxation, food, and celebration.

So come on through the gate to the back yard…it’s a celebration for our good friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch in honor of 100 tablescapes!!!

Nothing fussy here! This is a party meant to be fun for the hostess and the guest. A beach towel is an easy and colorful tablecloth. A crystal compote filled with shells makes a perfect centerpiece to keep things light and airy. The menu is almost all “do ahead”. Just float a while longer while I put the finishing touches on the salad.

These shells have been collected through years and years of beach trips by tiny little hands that are no longer tiny.

The first course is my favorite—gazpacho. With vegetables plentiful in the gardens of friends and at the farmers’ market, there is no better time to enjoy this summer delicacy. It’s diet friendly too. I like to serve it in a chilled martini glass garnished with a wedge of cucumber.

Shrimp (boil your own or have them steamed at the grocery store) on top of mixed baby greens is the main course. Garnish with whatever you like. We love eggs, avocado, and tomatoes. I’ll be topping this with Come Back Sauce. You can find the recipe here. It is the best topping or dipping sauce for shrimp! Save a little room--we’ll be having lemon ice for dessert.

Thank you Susan!! I have been enjoying and inspired by your tables since RMS days! I appreciate your willingness to share your talent with tables and blogging skills. You are indeed a gracious hostess! Happy 100; looking forward to 100 more!

Gazpacho

2 large tomatoes

1 medium cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 green pepper, coarsely chopped

1/2 onion, coarsely chopped

24 ounces canned tomato juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

Dash of your favorite hot sauce (optional)

Dip tomatoes into boiling water for one minute. Lift out with slotted spoon. Peel and chop into medium sizes pieces. Put vegetables, a few at a time into a blender and puree’ until smooth. Add tomato juice, olive oil, and vinegar slowly and continue to puree’. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Chop a few vegetable to use as garnish if desired. This is even better the day after it is made. Serve in a chilled bowl with a chilled spoon!

I am linking to Michael at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday too! Click on their buttons on my sidebar for immediate transportation to the parties! Thanks for coming to the celebration. Leave me a note!